Category Archives: Headlines

An ‘absurd verdict’: Jail terms for China activists who voiced support for Hong Kong’s pro-democracy Occupy protests

Two activists who voiced support on social media for Hong Kong’s pro-democracy Occupy protests in 2014 have been sentenced to jail terms by a court in Guangdong, south China, on Friday.

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HISHAM MATAR TAKES $75,000 PRIZE FOR BOOK OF THE YEAR AT REIMAGINED PEN AMERICA LITERARY AWARDS CEREMONY

NEW YORK–Hisham Matar was awarded the inaugural PEN/Jean Stein Book Award for his memoir The Return (Penguin Random House) Monday night at the PEN America Literary Awards Ceremony in a dramatic live announcement. Continue reading

Lee Ming-che’s wife says he’s in detention in China

2017/03/28 16:29:19

Taipei, March 28 (CNA) The wife of Taiwanese human rights advocate Lee Ming-che (李明哲) said Tuesday she had been informed that her husband was under arrest in China and she would like to visit him. Continue reading

UTS Professor Chongyi Feng detained in China, stopped from boarding return flight to Australia

Chongyi FengA Sydney professor and critic of growing Chinese government influence in Australia has been prevented from boarding a flight to return home to Sydney, and the ABC understands he has been told he is not allowed to leave China. Continue reading

Tienchi Martin-Liao: The 228 Incident is the Legacy of the Taiwanese People

The February 28 Incident, or “228,” was an anti-government uprising in Taiwan against the Kuomintang (KMT) that resulted in a number of deaths, estimated anywhere from 10,000-50,000. Taiwan’s process of historical reflection and apology for the 1947 incident highlights tension between the ways in which both China and Taiwan deal with their individual and shared histories. Continue reading

Canada, 10 other countries call out China for torturing human rights lawyers

BEIJING — The Globe and Mail,Published Last updated

Eleven countries have jointly called on the Chinese government to investigate reports of torture against human rights lawyers and urged Beijing to abandon a controversial detention system that holds suspects in secret locations for months at a time. Continue reading

World Poetry Day 2017

21 March 2017

‘Poetry – with its ancient history, its musicality, and its attention to symbol and metaphor – runs through all of us. Rooted in oral tradition, poetry is deeply connected to our collective humanity. And poetry is also a resilient and long-lasting political tool that has been used worldwide by dissident voices calling out for change. At PEN it’s impossible for us to celebrate World Poetry Day without also recognising that there are those for whom speaking out in verse has resulted in imprisonment. This year we are highlighting the cases of three such poets: Amanuel Asrat, Dareen Tatour, and Liu Xia. We urge you to take action today and to join us in appealing for justice for each of them. Details of how to speak out can be found below. Continue reading

World Poetry Day 2017 – Take Action for Liu Xia

Liu Xia, China, is a poet, artist, and founding member of the Independent Chinese PEN Centre. She has been held in her Beijing apartment without access to phones, Internet, doctors of her choice, or visitors since her husband, imprisoned poet Liu Xiaobo, was named the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in October 2010. Continue reading